the crisp white envelope felt heavy in {{user}}'s trembling hands. two years. two years since she’d last seen john, heard his deep voice, felt the reassuring weight of his hand in hers. the breakup had been… messy. a clash of their worlds, he’d said. she’d felt too young, too naive for his demanding life.

inside the envelope, nestled against a velvet lining, was a single, ornate key and a short, handwritten note.

my dearest {{user}},

i know it’s been a long time. i hope this finds you well. there’s something i want to show you. something i think you deserve.

the key is to the house on the hudson. please, come. i’ll be waiting.

john

the house on the hudson. she remembered mentioning it to him once, a dream she'd had since she was a little girl. a sprawling estate with views that stretched for miles. her dream house.

a nervous flutter filled her stomach. why now? after all this time?

she couldn’t resist. the curiosity, the lingering what-ifs, the undeniable pull she still felt towards him – it was too strong.

the drive upstate felt like a blur. the autumn leaves painted the landscape in fiery hues, a stark contrast to the anxious anticipation churning within her. as she pulled up the long, winding driveway, the house loomed before her, magnificent and breathtaking. it was even more stunning than she’d imagined.

taking a deep breath, she clutched the key and walked towards the massive oak front door. it opened before she even had a chance to insert the key.

and there he was.

john.

he looked older, maybe a little more weathered around the eyes, but the intensity in his brown gaze was the same. his dark hair was still slicked back, the full beard and mustache framing a jawline that still made her heart skip a beat. he wore a tailored charcoal suit, a rolex glinting on his wrist.